Embossed smart functional premium natural leather

• US 10,682,952 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2018
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Scott, Patricia A., Ali, Zainab I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Parihar, Suchin
• Application Number:
  US16/185,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20190077310A1
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/233 Seats; Arm rests; Head rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/283 Steering wheels; Gear levers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/54 Lighting devices embedded in interior trim, e.g. in roof liners
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/745 using lighting panels or mats, e.g. electro-luminescent panels, LED mats
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/82 Switches specially adapted for vehicle interior lighting, e.g. switching by tilting the lens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/02 Internal Trim mouldings ; Internal Ledges; Wall liners for passenger compartments; Roof liners B60R13/01 takes precedence ; padded linings for the vehicle interior B60R21/04; arrangements or adaptations of floor mats or carpets in vehicles B60N3/04; internal lining for trains B61D17/18
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2013/0287 integrating other functions or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0274 Optical details, e.g. printed circuits comprising integral optical means H05K1/0269 takes precedence; coupling light guides with opto-electronic components G02B6/42
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0283 Stretchable printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/032 consisting of one material
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/038 Textiles used as reinforcing materials for organic insulating substrates H05K1/0366
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0393 Flexible materials H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/095 for polymer thick films, i.e. having a permanent organic polymeric binder
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/181 associated with surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10053 Switch
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 Sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0143 Using a roller; Specific shape thereof; Providing locally adhesive portions thereon
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0014 Shaping of the substrate, e.g. by moulding
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/284 : for encapsulating mounted components H05K1/185 takes precedence

Abstract

A smart functional leather assembly includes a leather substrate, an electronic circuit layer including one or more conductive traces and optional electronic elements arranged on the leather substrate, optionally a pigmented coating arranged on the circuit layer, and an optional anti-soiling layer arranged on the pigmented layer. The entire smart functional leather assembly, including the circuit, are embossed to provide an embossed smart functional leather assembly with an embossed pattern.

Claims

1. A method of producing an embossed functional leather assembly, comprising:

preparing a functional leather assembly comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite from the first surface, and including;

providing a leather substrate comprising a first side facing the first surface of the functional leather assembly, and a second side opposite from the first side and facing the second surface of the functional leather assembly; and

applying an electrically conductive trace over the first side of the leather substrate; and

embossing the first surface of the functional leather assembly to provide an embossed texture in the first surface of the functional leather assembly.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising arranging a pigmented coating over the first side of the leather substrate to thereby cover the trace,

wherein the pigmented coating includes:

a first coating applied at a thickness of 20-45 microns;

a second coating applied at a thickness of 5-20 micron; and

a third coating applied at a thickness of 15-60 microns thick.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein:

preparing the functional leather assembly further includes electrically connecting an electronic component to the trace,

the electronic component is covered by the pigmented coating, and

the trace and the electronic component are camouflaged by the pigmented coating.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

the electronic component includes a light source electrically connected to the trace, and

when the light source is activated, light emitted by the light source is visible through the pigmented coating.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the light source includes a light emitting diode.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the embossed texture is produced by roll-to-roll heated embossment.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein preparing the functional leather assembly further includes arranging an anti-soiling layer on the pigmented coating.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising electrically connecting a microcontroller to the trace.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the embossed texture includes a leather grain texture.

10. A method of producing a functional vehicle component, comprising:

preparing a functional leather assembly including a first surface and a second surface opposite from the first surface, wherein the functional leather assembly is prepared by applying an electronic circuit, including an electrically conductive trace, to a first side of a leather substrate, the first side of the leather substrate facing the first surface of the functional leather assembly;

embossing the first surface of the functional leather assembly to provide an embossed texture in the first surface of the functional leather assembly; and

arranging the embossed functional leather assembly to cover a surface of a vehicle component such that the first surface of the functional leather assembly faces away from the vehicle component.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising arranging a pigmented coating on the first side of the leather substrate to thereby cover the circuit;

and optionally applying an anti-soiling layer on the pigmented coating;

wherein the circuit includes a plurality of electronic components including a light emitting diode, and the electronic components including the light emitting diode are electrically connected to the trace.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the embossed texture comprises a leather grain texture that is produced by roll-to-roll heated embossment.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising electrically connecting a microcontroller to the circuit.

14. A functional vehicle component comprising a functional leather assembly defining a first surface and a second surface opposite from the first surface, the functional leather assembly including:

a leather substrate comprising a first side facing the first surface of the functional leather assembly, and a second side opposite from the first side and facing the second surface of the functional leather assembly; and

an electrically conductive trace arranged on the first side of the leather substrate;

wherein the functional leather assembly is embossed with an embossed texture in the first surface of the functional leather assembly.

15. The functional vehicle component according to claim 14, further comprising a pigmented coating on the first side of the leather substrate and covering the trace;

wherein the pigmented coating includes;

a first coating applied at a thickness of 20-45 microns;

a second coating applied at a thickness of 5-20 micron; and

a third coating applied at a thickness of 15-60 microns thick.

16. The functional vehicle component according to claim 15, wherein:

the functional leather assembly further includes an electronic component electrically connected to the trace and covered by the pigmented coating; and

the conductive trace and the electronic component are camouflaged by the pigmented coating.

17. The functional vehicle component according to claim 16, wherein:

the electronic components include a light source electrically connected to the trace, and

when the light source is activated, light emitted by the light source is visible through the pigmented coating.

18. The functional vehicle component according to claim 14, further comprising a vehicle component including a surface, wherein:

the functional leather assembly is arranged on the surface of the vehicle component such that the second surface of the functional leather assembly is closer to the vehicle component than the first surface of the functional leather assembly; and

the vehicle component comprises an interior panel, a seat, or a steering wheel.

19. The functional vehicle component according to claim 15, wherein the functional leather assembly further includes an anti-soiling layer arranged on the pigmented coating.

20. The functional vehicle component according to claim 14, wherein the embossed texture includes a leather grain texture.